Pests
Plum Fruit Moth
Identify Plum Fruit Moth: symptoms, possible causes, prevention, and practical actions for 5 affected plants. Larvae bore into fruits, causing worm damage.
Editorial diagnosis
Diagnosis overview
Plum moth attacks plums, damsons, and related stone fruit.
In gardens, Plum Fruit Moth can occur on plants including Cherry plum, Mirabelle plum, European Plum, Greengage. In the available profiles, it is linked mainly with Stone fruit.
The recorded risk level is high. Remove infested fruit and windfalls regularly.
Inspect leaf undersides, shoot tips, and the soil around the plant at different times of day. Eggs, larvae, droppings, webbing, or slime trails are often more diagnostic than one damaged leaf.
A common mistake is to treat feeding damage without checking the animal, eggs, larvae, time of activity, and affected plant parts.
At a glance
Plants
5
Category
Stone fruit
Risk
high
Scientific name
Grapholita funebrana
Typical signs
- Wormy fruit
- Entry holes
- Frass
- Fruit drop
Possible confusion
- Similar feeding damage: Always check for insects, droppings, slime, mines, holes, or residues. The damage pattern alone is often not enough.
Immediate actions
- Inspect affected parts and remove where useful
- Stabilise the plant and reduce stress
- Keep monitoring the planting
Prevention
- Encourage vigorous plants
- Monitor regularly
- Support beneficials and diversity
- Adapt care to weather and site
Affected plants
Guides
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